The Door
by Fabius Maximus
Summary: The heroes of Tailspin encounter a strange metal ring, which soon disgorges the heroes of Stargate: SG1... much confusion ensues.  All characters copyright their respective owners.
1. Default Chapter

**_The door._**

Talespin and all related characters are ©Disney Corporation   Stargate: SG1 and all related characters are © MGM World  Wide.  No challenge to these copyrights in implied or intended by this not for profit fan fiction. 

            It was hot.  Of course, Baloo thought, it was always hot where Katy liked to dig things up. Couldn't that girl ever find a cool place to dig?  

            "What's all this, papa bear?"  Kit asked, him, perched on some crates. 

            "Well, Kit, yah got me, but Miz Archaeologist wants to take it back to Cape Suzzette with us-- they're gonna have a nice big exhibit at the museum."  Baloo yawned. It wasn't the air museum, so he wasn't interested.  Kit wandered over to a large crate, still opened, and looked down at the object within.

            It was a disk, with a big red globe in the center, and a series of concentric, symbol studded rings on the outside.  Kit touched one, which depressed with a click.  He jumped away and looked guilty.

            "Don't touch that!"  Katy said, coming up behind him.  "We don't know what it is, but the fact that it's still not rusted after all these years is amazing…I wouldn't want you to break it just a week after we got it out of the ground."  Kit looked guilty…but being fourteen part of the guilt was trying to avoid looking at the Archaeologist's…assets.   Katy sighed. She was used to that.  She waved her clipboard at Baloo and started to speak.

            "Baloo.. we're ready to… what's that?"  She asked, in surprise.  Baloo looked up and blanched. "

            "Oh lord-- what's he doing here…  C'mon everyone, pull chocks!"  Baloo grabbed Kit, and Katy and tore out towards the Sea Duck as an unpleasantly familiar airship came over the clouds. 

            "Baloo! The artifacts!  We need to load the Artifacts!"  

            "Sorry lady, this trips going to have to go a little light!"  Baloo dove into his seat, causing the springs to cry out in despair, and then started the engines.  

            "Ready Kit?"

            "Got it, Baloo… head for the ocean…"

            "Ain't that a little direct?"  Kit shook his head.

            "There's a bunch of little canyons out that way, we can dive into them if we get chased."

            "Hey Hey! Hide, that's music to old Baloo's ears…" Baloo said.  Katy looked mournfully out of the window.  

            "My artifacts…"  She said, before glaring at Baloo. "we could have loaded them!"  Kit looked back at her, the 14 year-old trying to put a reasonable face on his were-you-out-of-your-mind thoughts.  "Ms. Dodd… The reason Karnage isn't chasing us is because he has the boxes…and if he was chasing us, we'd have to dump them to escape.  He doesn't want them because their pretty-- he wants them for the money he can get…he'll sell them to you."

            "That's…extortion!" Katy said, outraged.

            "He's a pirate,"  Baloo commented, "That's what Karny does…"  Katy sat back and folded her arms over her chest in disgust.  

            "Well at least we have the ring."  She commented.  

            "Ring?"  Kit asked.

            "Yes, there was a big ring, made out of metal, along with everything else-- it was like nothing I've ever seen before…you can look at the museum."  Kit shrugged, but if Katy would be happy, then maybe she wouldn't try to stiff Rebecca for the payment. 

            No Such luck.

            "You didn't ship the goods, so we shouldn't have to pay you!" Katy said, waiving an invoice.

            "We did too ship the goods, except for the last load, and that invoice doesn't say risking my pilots lives for a bunch of busted pottery!"

            "Pottery!  POTTERY!"  Katy shrieked, doing a good imitation of someone just finding out that their prized car has been crushed, "Those were priceless artifacts-- though I doubt you would understand that concept, you  money grubbing conceited…"

            "Conceited!  If Baloo hadn't of brought you along, Karnage would have you, unless he threw you into the ocean-- where you would have had no problem floating, Obviously!"  Katy was looking at her, mouth open, and then closed it before speaking again.

            "Well, at least I wouldn't have to worry about my HAIR DYE running, now would I!"  Kit, Molly and the other Archaeologists, Professor O'Bowen, and Myra Foxworthy, had  migrated towards the end of the hall, away from the debate.  Every time Baloo tried to join them, a hand from Rebecca or Katy snagged him back, unhappy witness to the Clash Of The Harpies.    

            Molly looked over at Myra.

            "What is that, Ms. Foxworthy?" The nine year old cub asked seriously. Molly had never seen anything like it, and like her mother (and unlike Baloo), she was a voracious reader-- but no book had had anything like this in it.  The ring was 60 feet in diameter, and the child walked up to it and wonderingly touched one of the symbols on the ring. 

            "WE don't know, Molly." Myra said, "But it looks like it's two rings-- Professor O'Bowen thinks it might be a sacrificial alter-- unfortunately most of the other symbols in the temple were deliberately destroyed. 

            "Why?" Kit asked. 

            "Maybe there was a religious war of some kind…we were hoping the other artifacts would have told  us…"  Myra looked concerned.  "You don't' think Don Karnage will destroy them, will he?"

            "Nah." Kit replied, "He'll ransom them…that's all."  The fourteen year old shrugged.  "He's in it for the money."  Myra looked at him in surprise.

            "You talk like running into Karnage is a daily affair."  Molly laughed, her light voice carrying through the room.

            "Kit  and Baloo are always  beating Karnage, aren't you, Kit."  She said, looking at her adoptive older brother with adoration.

            "Uh…yeah." Kit said, uncomfortably…  This might very well turn into another, "Can't I come with you" moment, and since Rebecca had put very severe restrictions on the distance and places Molly could go, it was dangerous territory for the boy that Molly could blame-- but who had no real power.  

            "WELL WE'LL SEE!"  Rebecca shouted at Katie, and turned and marched towards the door.  "We're going to go to see the  museum director."  Baloo straggled after her, and looked over at Molly and Kit. 

            "No reason you kids should have to hear this… stick around here and take a look at everything."  Myra and O'Bowen nodded at that, although  O'Bowen cautioned them.

            "Don't touch anything-- some of the artifacts haven't been completely secured yet, but all the information plates have been installed. You can spend hours in hear, easily…and you're the first to get to see it, other then us doctors!"  With that, the adults left, leaving the kids in the room. 

            Kit and Molly looked around for a time…but eventually they found themselves sitting at the base of the ring. 

            "I'm bored." Molly said. 

            "Me too."  Kit replied.

            "Kit…" 

            _oh no, _ Kit thought. 

            "Yes?"

            "When Can I learn how to airboard?"  Kit wanted to scream. Air boarding, sky surfing…anything involving his airboard, for that matter, was among the things which He Was Not To Teach Molly On Pain Of Death.  

            "Well  Molly…" Molly glared at him, knowing what that was the preface for.

            "I know, I'm not old enough!  I won't be old enough until this is rusted!"  With that, she thumped the ring. Seconds later, the inner part started to rotate with a grinding sound.. It stopped and a chevron like item on the outer ring depressed and glowed orange.  Then the inner ring started moving again.  Molly staggered back in horror.

            "I broke it…" She whispered.  Kit grabbed her.

            "Molly, C'mon!"  Whatever it was doing, it might do more of it, so Kit and Molly quickly hid at the far end of the room.    Kit waited, and the ring stopped moving, only to have a blast of heat and light emerge from it like water. One of  the exhibits was caught and vaporized…Kit wondered how many weeks of mowing lawns a 4000 year old vase was worth. Probably more weeks then he wanted to think about. 

            "Kit, look!"  Kit looked up at Molly's hiss.  The ring was full of something that looked like mirrored water… and figures were walking out of it.  They looked…strange.  Covered in some kind of dark green clothing, with guns and other items festooned off of them. Kit couldn't really get a good look at their faces…but they looked different. 

            "Carter…tell me why I'm not seeing Ps-2232."  One asked.

            "Sir, the Jaffa were so close that I didn't have a choice-- the last two coordinates were picked at random. "

            "That's not good Carter…. Teal'c, tell her that isn't good."

            "As an alternative to certain death, I find it very good, O'Neil." 

            "Okay… mutiny in the ranks, check."  The tall…thing, Kit guessed, looked around.   "So, where are we?"

            "It looks like a museum of some kind, Jack… I guess we showed up after opening hours."

            "Well, that's good-- nothing like vaporizing a few tourists to make the right impression… what I'm interested is a DHD device…do you see a DHD, Daniel?"

            "No, but I see some incredible pottery…this is wonderful, I'd love to meet-"

            "Daniel!  D-H-D.Now."

            "I'm sorry, Jack, I don't… check over back there."  He said.

            "Let's hurry… I would really not want to  explain this to the locals,"  'Jack' said.  Molly began to move back from her hiding place…unfortunately, one foot nudged a vase which toppled. Kit managed to intercept it just before it hit, and gave a silent whistle of thanks. Then he looked up and noticed that the strangers were gone.

            "Molly… lets' get out of here."  He whispered, and they began moving towards the door.  Before Kit moved more then a few feet, he felt strong hands wrap around his shoulders and he was lifted off his feet. Molly gave a scream as the same happened to her.  Somehow two of the beings had managed to sneak up on them.

            They were brought out into the light, and Kit realized that the biggest one had grabbed him, while the one named O'Neil had grabbed Molly. She was furiously kicking her feet at him.

            "Let me Go!  Let me Go!"  She was shouting over and  over again, Kit was trying to struggle as well, but those hands might of well have been made of iron.  Kit shuddered at their  ugly, flat, furless faces.

            "Ho..kay."  the slight brown haired man said, before  looking at them.  "Jack… I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. "

            "Oh really, Daniel, what was your first clue?"  Jack said.  The… kid kept squirming in his hands and he looked down. Gold furred, muzzled, wearing a blue set of overalls with a white shirt and two ribbons.  Right, just like home.  "Kid, I'm going to put you down, just don't run away."  He said.  Maybe this would calm her down. 

            WHAM!  No sooner then she had hit the ground, Molly turned around and slammed a foot into Jack's knee.

            "OW, HEY!  Stop that-"  WHAM!  "Kid, I'm going to"  WHAM!

            "Kit, run!"  Molly shouted as she kept kicking Jack's knees.  O'Neil didn't want to hurt her, so he dodged back holding one of the abused kneecaps.  

            "You run!"  Kit shouted, since Teal'c had not let him go.  Molly looked over at Kit, then back at the others, and turned to run.

            "O'Neil, we should stop her." Teal'c said,  O'Neil nodded.

            "Daniel, Carter, get her!"

            "Why not you Jack?"

            "Because I would like to keep my kneecaps!"  Daniel moved out, and since there was only one way into the hall, didn't try to chase Molly-- he just got to the door first.    Molly stopped, looked back, looked at him, and skittered from side to side, uncertain. 

            "OK, Jack…what now?"  Jack limped forward.  

            "Just leave it to me…"  He said.  "Kid…what's your name?  I don't really like calling people 'Hey You!'"  Molly backed up, but that took her closer to Daniel.

            "Molly…Molly Cunningham…"  She took a defiant pose. "You're in Cape Suzzette-- when someone comes here they'll call the police!"

            "Sir, that's very possible."  The woman, Carter said.   "It does look like we're holding minors against their will."

            "No Major, it doesn't look like it, we _are_ holding minors against their will."  O'Neil said.  "Teal'c, put the other…whatever he is down."  Teal'c released Kit, and the teenage bear quickly moved towards Molly. Molly grabbed his shoulder and pulled close. Kit could feel her well masked trembling-- she was afraid, but then so was he. 

            "OK… What's your name?"  O'Neil said, pointing at Kit.  Kit looked up at him.

            "Kit Cloudkicker-- what's your name?"  He said. Molly squared her shoulders.

            "Yes, What's _your_ name and why are you grabbing children in museums!"  Kit looked over at her-- she was definitely getting the "Rebecca tone" down pat.  He feared for any boyfriends she  might have in the future. 

            "Well…why are you kicking the shins of  innocent visitors?" O'Neil replied.

            "Quite violently, too." Teal'c added. Molly looked apprehensively at Teal'c…he was much bigger then the others. 

            "You grabbed us!"

            "Yes, well…that was a mistake and I apologize."  Daniel said.  "My Name's Daniel Jackson… I'm a archaeologist, and this is Samantha Carter-- she's a doctor and a military officer.  These two are Colonel O'Neil and Teal'c."  Daniel paused and looked over at O'Neil.  "I'm certain the Colonel is sorry for grabbing you."

            "Well my shin's are, that's for certain." O'Neil said.  "Seriously-- we're here by mistake-- as soon as we find a DHD, we'll be on our way."

            "Jack, maybe we should stay a while-- we haven't made the best impression so far…"

            "No, Daniel, we want to go. Now."  Kit was following this interplay, when a metaphorical light went off in his head.

            "You want to go before  any grown ups show up, don't you?  That way,  they won't believe us!"

            "He's bright," O'Neil commented.   Molly looked at them  and  started moving towards a wall. 

            "Where are you going, Molly Cunningham?"  Teal'c asked.  

            "I want to sit down…he scared me."  She said, pointing at O'Neil, with tears pooling in her eyes.  O'Neil looked embarrassed, and Kit looked surprised, and then quickly covered for it. 

            "Oh, Don't get her crying-- she'll never be quiet then, she's the biggest crybaby you ever saw."

            "Don't you dare say that to me, Kit Cloudkicker!"

            "Well it's true!"

            "Is not!"

            "Is so!"

            "HEY!" O'Neil shouted, "Enough with the arguments!"

            "I'm going over here!"  Molly said, and marched over and  stood by a wall hanging. 

            "Aren't you going to sit down?"  Daniel asked. 

            "No." Molly said, as her hand snaked out and punched the fire alarm.  The clangor of bells filled the building, and sprinklers started to drench everyone inside the building.

            "Jack!  The artifacts!"

            "Daniel, our mission!" Jack replied. He looked up to the sprinklers with a 'why me, God.' Expression. 

            "That was extremely clever."  Teal'c commented, turning towards the door and facing it with his Zat at the ready.  

            The door flew open, and Rebecca, Baloo, O'Bowen, Katie, and Myra filled it.   Rebecca took one look at her children, the strange figures around them, the rain, and screamed.

            "Get away from my daughter!"  She shouted, and grabbed the nearest thing that came to hand, an exquisite example of early Ming pottery,  and threw it at Jack.  

            "NO!"  Katy screamed.  Jack caught the vase and then let it fall, where it shattered. Katy, Daniel, O'Bowens, and Myra all shared a look of near religious horror.  

            "That was a priceless vase!" Katy said. 

            "Well, ah…some superglue…some time… it'll be more fun then a jig saw puzzle."  Jack said, stepping aside from the pottery shards.

            "You…Barbarian!"  Katy snarled. 

            "You get called that a lot, Jack."

            "Do you think it's my aftershave, Daniel?" By that time, Myra had turned off the water, and the two groups were left looking at each other, with Kit in the center like Poland.  

            "Now just who or what are you?"  Baloo asked. 

            "And what are you doing in our Museum!"  Myra wanted to know, the petite fox marching up to stand by Baloo and the others.

            "And why does everyone here look like a giant stuffed toy?"  Jack asked, just to keep the questions flowing. 

            "We  are voyagers thought the stargate"  Carter said.  The blonde major had her hands out in a peaceful gesture as she pointed back towards the gate.  "That ring is actually a mechanism for moving between worlds…"

            "Yeah." Molly added, "We saw them come out."

            "Baloo…the marks on the inner part-- they moved, I think they're like longitude and latitude."  Kit said.  The humans looked at him in surprise.  

            "Bright." O'Neil commented. 

            "Well what are you doing here?"

            "We were pursued by Jaffa of the false God Apothis, and entered the wrong coordinates.  That is how we arrived here." Rebecca looked up at Teal'c, feeling a tad intimidated.  

            "Who's Apothis?"  Baloo asked. 

            "Oh, just your average garden variety maniacal ruler, out to destroy the universe, smash worlds, that sort of thing… other then that, he's a great guy."  O'Neil said. 

            "Jack's being sarcastic…" Daniel commented. "He's *not* a great guy-- not in the slightest.  You don't know about the Ga'ould?  You have a stargate, obviously."

            "Yes, but it was buried…the  records here talk about some mythological war…" Katy commented, pointing to the various artifacts. Daniel wandered over to them and started reading them.

            "Not Mythological…it looks like a splinter group of Ga'ould lost a war and buried the gate to prevent their enemies from coming through it…then…well…. Something about biological expirements, and a plague…and that's it." 

            "Plague?"  Carter asked.

            "Long time ago."  Daniel said.

            "This is incredible!" Myra said, "You just read that… Katy, they  could read all the material in the basement!  We have to go get--"

            "Hold on, everyone!  We're on a time limit here-- we need to get back to our home, hopefully soon." O'Neil said, garnering disappointed looks from everyone (well,, the doctors, at least) present.  "What we need is a DHD".

            "DH-whatsit's?"  Baloo asked.  O'Neil looked at him.  He was *not* going to get into the fact that he was talking to a bear in a flight jacket, cap,  but with no pants.  No.  That way lay madness.  

            "It's a gadget for dialing the gate-- it's about yay big… with two dials and a big red button in the middle."  Kit, Baloo, and Katy looked at each other in dismay.

            "That big, eh?" Baloo said. 

            "Yes, do you have it?"  Carter asked.

            "Well… No.  Don Karnage has it."

            "Don…Karnage."  O'Neil  repeated.  "I take it he's not the curator?"

            "No. He's a pirate and a thief, and he took our last shipment!" Rebecca said. 

            "For which you're not getting paid."  Katy comment. 

            "The contract doesn't say anything about-" O'Neil put his fingers to his lip and gave a piercing whistle. 

            "Time out!"  He waited. "Good… now where does Don Karnage live?"

            "Pirate island."

            "Descriptive name,"  Daniel said. 

            "Well, we need the DHD… where is Pirate Island?" Jack asked.

            "You could wait until he ransoms it."  Myra commented.

            "No…actually we can't."  Carter commented. "Our mission gained some time sensitive information…which needs to be gotten back quickly, or it will become useless."

            "Kit can navigate you there…" Baloo commented, "But…"

            "That's my plane, Mister!"  Rebecca said.  "I don't like the idea of risking it!"

            "Ms…. Cunningham?"  Samantha asked. 

            "Yes?"

            "I take it you're in business for yourself, correct?"

            "Yes…Higher for Hire…we ship anything."  Kit Molly and  Baloo all rolled their eyes.  Of course Becky wouldn't let a little thing like aliens stop her from trying to make a buck. 

            "Well… we can't trade technology, not without our governments approval, of course…but I'm certain that once we get back home, we might be able to arrange to exchange…trade goods, in return for the use of your plane…"  Becky's eyes went wide and then glazed over at the thought. 

            "Oh, I think we could do that…Baloo, what are you waiting for?  C'mon!"

            "I'm going too!"  Katy said. "There are other artifacts there…and I don't want them smashed!"

            "Jack…I think I'll stay here."  Daniel said. "There's a lot of information here, which might explain who this world originally belonged to and why…" a hand gesture took in the natives. 

            "You do that, Daniel."  O'Neil said.  Myra and O'Bowen gravitated over to him.

            "Dr. O'Bowen and  I will also stay," Myra commented. "I can help him with the archives."

            Molly started after the mob of adults when Rebecca's voice brought her up short. 

            "Where are you going young lady?"  
  


            "With you, Mom?" 

            "Not on your life! You have homework, and I should send you home to do it…"  Becky read the quickly rising Mutiny in her daughters eyes. "But if you'll help them, I'll let you stay here with Myra, O'Bowen and…er…Doctor Jackson."

            "Daniel, Ms. Cunningham." O'Neil nodded.

            "I think that's a great idea-- if any mummies come to life, she can destroy their kneecaps."   Molly stuck her tongue out at him.

            "Molly!  Apologize this instant!"  Rebecca demanded.

            "OK…Sorry Colonel O'Neil…"  Molly said. Of course, had she been psychic, O'Neil would have exploded.

            "Don't worry about it-- You didn't know we were friendlies." O'Neil replied, Molly's expression lightened up.

            "If we're friendlies, then you could tell mom too…"

            "Take you into the line of fire with us? That's _not_ a friendly act, Molly.  No Dice.  Stop trying to go over your mother's head."

            "Yes sir…" Molly said, defeated.  

            With that, there was only one problem-- how to get SG-1 to the Sea Duck without being noticed.  Katy solved that one.

            "We can use the Museum truck-- you stay in the rear until we get to Higher For Hire. Carter looked at Jack, who shrugged. 

            "Well, I don't have a better idea."

            "It will conceal us adequately."  Teal'c agreed.  

            "Well, we don't have a lot of time…"  O'Neil commented. "OK, Daniel, stick here with everyone else, and DON'T go anywhere until we get back, understand?"

            "Yes Colonel."  Daniel said, already  wandering over to some of the Heiroglyphics.  

            "OK, people…lets go!" O'Neil was already heading out the door, everyone else in tow.  

            Molly quickly lost her annoyance with not being allowed to go tagging along after Dr. Jackson.  He was much nicer than many adults, explaining what he was doing as he was doing it.

            "So, see Molly…the information here might explain what Ga'ould  owned your world to begin with…and why you're different from us."

            "Could they do that?"  Molly asked. 

            "Oh, yes. The Ga'ould are very advanced-- not nice, but advanced-- even if half of what they have they stole." Myra had come by.

            "Are they as dangerous  as you imply?"

            "More.  The Ga'ould believe that people like us are only good for slaves or hosts…they live inside humans, and use them as hosts."

            "Ick" Molly said.

            "Right."

            "So how does the gate work?"  Molly asked.

            "See those symbols on the outside?  They are on buttons on the DHD…when you code in all 7 of them, you push the big central button and it opens the gate."

            "Neat! What's the address for your home?"

            "Sorry…" Daniel grinned, "I'd get in trouble for that one…but I can show you a few others…"  He sat by her and took out a note pad…  "Now this is the  address for here…" He wrote  a series of glyphs.  "This is the address for Ps-2232, and this is the address for a world that's empty, except for some great fishing holes."  Molly looked at them, and then back at Daniel.  

            "What's Ps-2232?"  

            "It's a message drop-- There's a communicator system there that allows you to contact earth-- so if you can't come home for some reason, like your sick or being chased, you can still get in touch with the SGC."

            "Ohhh…" Molly said. Daniel went back to work, not noticing that Molly had torn the page off the note pad, and put it in one of her overall pockets.   Molly continued walking around,  but Myra, O'Bowen and Daniel's conversation quickly scaled far above her understanding., and even the visions of what lay behind the gate palled after a while.  She wondered how the others were doing.  

            "Molly?"  Myra asked. "There's some food in the commissary-- would you go get it?"  Molly looked at her and nodded. 

            "OK, Ms. Foxworthy."  She said, and wandered off. 

            "She's taking her disappointment well."  Daniel said.  

            "Oh, she's a wonderful child." Myra commented. "Very exuberant and full of energy, not to mention bright."  Daniel grinned. 

"I bet Jack's shins wouldn't agree…"  Myra laughed. 

"Well, she's very independent-- her mother works and I've heard from Baloo that some of the other parents don't like that, so she's lonely at times."  Daniel nodded, 

"I can sympathize…"  He said, then turned around at a sound. The Stargate was activating!

"More friends?"  

"Maybe…but I think we need to find a hiding place.." Jack said, but as the gate stabilized a series of small silvery balls fell out of it…

Molly was coming back with a bag full of food, several bottles of coke, and some donuts, that had somehow survived Baloo's visit to the commissary.  Approaching the exhibit hall, she stopped. The door was open!  She had left it closed. Had someone else left?

Then, she heard the heavy tread of feet…*lots* of feet.  Molly ducked into a side room and peered out the partly open door as nearly a dozen men marched past. They looked like Teal'c, they carried the same kind of staff as he had had…but they had different  symbols on their head, they wore armor…and they didn't look nice. Not at all.  One stopped and looked her way. Molly tried to stop breathing, until one of his companions said something and he turned and followed them. 

Molly bit her lip.  They had to have been the "Ga'ould"…and that meant that Daniel, Myra and O'Bowen were all captured, and the Sea Duck was out of radio range and they couldn't get back even if she had a radio…  Molly closed her eyes, and then opened them.  These people wouldn't have come here if they didn't have anyway of getting back now, would they?

A smile that Kit and Baloo knew and feared crossed her muzzle.  If she couldn't get help on this world…well, Mr. Jackson had told her how to get help from *other worlds*.  Moving quietly, the bear cub moved to the rear of the room, looking up at the ventilation shaft….

The Sea Duck:

            The sky was clear, the yellow seaplane seeming to merge with the sky and ocean as it moved across the sea.  Inside, things were not quite as calm.

            "OK, Baloo, come to 123 just like last time."

            "You've been to a pirate fortress before?" O'Neil asked.

            "I _was _a pirate. "  Kit replied.

            "Nice resume"  O'Neil commented.    He looked back into the cabin. Teal'c, Rebecca, Carter, and Katy were all sitting in various postures of nerves or calm, according to their own natures.

            "So…Is this the most modern aircraft you have?"  Carter asked.  

            "Hey!  Baloo called from the front, "My baby may be old, but she's got it where it counts!"  Carter looked up front.

            "I wasn't meaning any disrespect." She said, and then turned to O'Neil. "Sir, from what I've seen, these people are at about a 1930's level of technology…"

            "Indeed, O'Neil…they could not hope to defeat the Ga'ould were they to arrive."

            "I know that, Teal'c-- and as soon as we get back we can set  up some kind of negotiation to help them defend themselves."

            "We can protect ourselves!"  Rebecca said indignantly.  

            "A single Ga'ould mother ship could destroy every city on your planet in a matter of hours." Teal'c commented.  Rebecca subsided.  

            "Fortunately, we don't have to deal with that." Carter commented, "Just with this Don Karnage, fellow. What's he like?"

            "Karney?"  Baloo called back.  "He likes to hear himself talk, is mean, vicious, brutal, cruel."

            "Are you certain he isn't a Ga'ould?"  O'Neil commented.

            "But he can't shoot straight and neither can his men!"

            "He is not a Ga'ould System Lord, than."  Teal'c said levelly. 

            "Well, you'll get to meet him pretty quickly-- we're almost there." Kit called back.  The teenager pointed towards the volcano in the distance.

            "Pirate Island."

            "Very in keeping with the whole atmosphere thing."  O'Neil commented in the silent cockpit. 

            Kit had Baloo touch down near where they had landed before.  Baloo had some concern about this..

            "You Certain they won't be watching this, Little Britches?  I mean, we came  in this way before…"

            "No, Baloo… Karnage won't watch it himself, and he can't keep the others on duty out here-- maybe for the first few weeks, but it's been better than two years."  The aircraft gently touched down by the steaming, stinking water.  Everyone disembarked, most holding their nose, although Teal'c, O'Neil, and Cater had their weapons out.

            "Are you going to shoot them?"

            "The Zat's only stun, unless you're shot several times."  Samantha explained, as they moved through the trap infested hallway.  Kit pointed. 

            "See, Baloo-- the traps  we set off haven't even been reset."    Baloo nodded as the whole calvacade moved through the fortress.

            Finally, they came to more populated regions, their path blocked by a guard room full of pirates.  O'Neil put his hand to his mouth, and he, Carter and Teal'c moved out-- suddenly, there was a flurry of electrical sounding noises and then Cater waved the four on. Rebecca gave a squeak as she saw all the unconscious forms.  Teal'c was looking annoyed. 

            "They did not even maintain a watch…"

            "They probably didn't expect someone to attack." Katy commented. 

            "Then they were fools." Teal'c replied. 

            "Well, I like fools… I don't know about you, but I could do with some more, as opposed to the typical trained-and-armed-to-the-teeth Jaffa we deal with."  Teal'c didn't deign that with a reply. 

            "OK…" Kit said, "The storeroom is just behind those doors…" He looked around nervously.  "I thought there'd be more guards…"

            "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Kit."  Baloo said, moving to the door, then opening it. "Hey Kids, look what I found!"

            "Baloo!"  Rebecca hissed furiously, "What if there had been traps!"

            "Yes!"  O'Neil said, "What if there had been  booby traps for any booby who just opened the door!" 

            "Hey, nothing happened…" Baloo said, then trailed off as a slab of stone blocked the corridor.  O'Neil glared at him.  

            "I do not believe it would be wise to fire,"  Teal'c said, "The staff weapon blast might bring the roof down."

            "Kit!"  Rebecca said, 

            "I'm sorry, Ms. Cunningham…this must be new…"

            "Oh of course it is new, my former Plundering Protégé…"  A voice came into the room.  O'Neil looked up to see several speakers.  

            "Sir!"  Carter hissed, "Here it is!"  O'Neil looked back at carter and saw the DHD near her.

            "Good, now if you could tell me there's a spare gate in here?" Carter shook her head apologetically. 

            "So, I am wondering what brings so many people to my humble mansion…" There was a pause, the sound of someone being hit, then, "abode?  Do not correct Don Karnage-- you are not worthy!"  Samantha looked at O'Neil who nodded.

            "Well, actually were here for something-- and once we have it we'll be on our way."

            "Who is that?  It is not the annoying bosstype lady, or the Dr. Fox…it  must be the strange flat faced bald lady."  Samantha glared at that, while O'Neil fought a smile.  The voice continued.  "What is it you want?"

            "The artifact you had in the center of the room."  Samantha continued. 

            "I was going to use that for a coffee table."

            "You, you… Barbarian!" Katy exploded, "That is a priceless artifact-- in fact it's more valuable then even I knewmmmphhhhh!"  

            "Don't mind her, Karny"  Baloo said, his hand over Katy's muzzle, "It's a real nice coffee table…but maybe I could get you something better?"

            "Hmmmm I am thinking that this is something worth many valuable knickity nacks… yes-no?"  O'Neil looked over at Carter, his mouth forming 'valuable knickity nacks?' 

            "But, I am merciless and kind… in return for those wonderful toys that you used to knock out my worthless crew… I will take you hostage."

            "And if we don't give them to you?" Carter asked. 

            "I leave you in the treasure chamber and cut off the air, yes-no?"

            "Well, that certainly gives us motivation."  O'Neil said, glaring at Katy.  They put their weapons down on the floor, and at Karnage's instructions, stood well back. Then the slab was raised and dozens of flunkies charged into the room, removing every item of technology from them.  Finally, Karnage, in all of his Martial glory, entered the room. O'Neil burst out laughing.  Karnage drew his sword and pointed it threateningly at O'Neil.

            "You have something funny to laugh at?"

            "No."  O'Neil said, "It's just that you're such a snappy dresser, for a moment I thought you were a Ga'ould-- all it would take would be glowing eyes and that deep, 'obey me' voice."

            "Hmph!  Take them away! I will examine their weapons!"

            "Beware-- the Zat guns will stun-- but they will kill if you shoot an individual who has already been stunned, and the staff weapon is extremely powerful."  Teal'C said.   

            Later, in their prison cell, Rebecca was venting. 

            "I can't believe this-- you explore worlds, you have super weapons, and we still get caught!  What are we going to do?  Who's going to rescue us!  Balooooo! This is all your fault."

            "Carter, do you have those earplugs?"

            "What are we going to do?"  Kit asked. 

            "I believe that this Don Karnage will want more weapons."  Teal'c said. "To obtain them he must help us reactivate the stargate. Kit blinked.

            "So you're just waiting?"

            "Not much else to do."   O'Neil said.  

            "But Karnage likes to keep people waiting!" Kit said, "What about the information you have?  What is it?"  

Carter and O'Neil looked at each other, then at some unspoken signal, Carter turned to Kit.

            "Apothis is building a new ship-- if we can get back the information on its weaknesses, we might be able to destroy it-- but we have to do that before it's ready for space flight."

            "And every moment we spend in these five star accommodations, the ship gets closer to being in space, shooting at us."  O'Neil looked at the door.  "And I don't want the first failure of our normally perfect record to come from a refugee from a fashion disaster."  

            "I have an idea." Katy said.  

            "You're going to destroy the cell?"  Rebecca said sarcastically.

            "No… I'm going to do something *you* couldn't do." Katy replied, and undid the first two buttons on her shirt.  Going up to the grate, she called out.

            "Heloo…."  She said, her voice suddenly getting low and seductive.  "Could I see your captain… I have so much to tell him…and for him to tell me…"  Behind her, Baloo was slowly melting into a puddle.  Rebecca elbowed him in the gut. 

            "Oof!"  

            "Eyes forward, Baloo." 

            "So that's  how she keeps avoiding customs." Rebecca said.

            "Oh C'mon…that never works, only a complete idiot would…." The door opened and let Katy out. Jack closed his mouth.  

            "OK… so we know he's a complete idiot."  Samantha replied.   Katy slinked out, before the door closed, giving them a wink.

            "Now what?"  Rebecca asked. 

            "Now, we wait and see if  Katie Dodd's plan will succeed."  Teal'c said. 

            Cape Suzzette: 

            Molly crawled through the air duct.  It was dusty, hot, her clothes were stained and dirty, one ribbon had come partially undone… she was having the time of her life.   Every room she peered into was either empty or had Ga'ould in it.  There were a lot of them.  She kept looking.  Finally, she peered into a storeroom and saw Dr. Jackson, Myra, and everyone else who had been in the building, tied up.  There was no Ga'ould in the room, but the distance was too far for her to drop-- and too far for her to get back up. 

            "Dr. Jackson!" Molly hissed. Daniel looked up and saw her.  

            "Molly…"  Jackson said in a whisper.  "Thank god-- I was worried they'd killed you." Molly stopped. *Kill her?*  Even Don Karnage wouldn't do that.  When she mentioned it, Daniel got a very serious look on his face. 

"Molly-- these guys are very, very nasty.  They *will* kill you if they find you-- or hold you for their boss, which is worse."  Daniel continued, "You've got to get a message to Jack and the others…"

            "But they're gone-- Dr. Jackson… I'm going to go through the gate-- to where you showed me!" 

            "No Molly! They have guards-- and they brought their own DHD-- they'll just follow you!"  Myra looked up and thought.

            "Dr. Jackson-- is there any way to disable the device?"  Daniel paused and thought.. then started wiggling madly. 

            "Here…wait one minute… almost got it…..There!"  He said, flipping a lump of putty onto his shoe.  "This is going to be difficult…Molly, open the grill-- and get this." Molly did…and Daniel managed to flip it up so she could get it. 

            "That's C-7," He said, "Very powerful explosives-- the little capsule on top?  Break it and it will explode in 30 seconds.  Stick it to the top of the DHD once you key in the coordinates.   But I don't think you can get the guards to go anywhere else… "  He paused, "Molly, if you get through to PS-2232, ask for General Hammond…remember that."

            "Leave that to me!" Molly said with a grin, before she vanished back into the vent.  Jackson sighed. 

            "I hope she'll be OK…"  he said. Myra looked at him nervously.

            "Isn't that a bit dangerous for a child?"  Jackson looked back, very seriously.

            "Myra… trust me, with the Ga'ould, that may be the *safest* thing she can do.".  

            Finally, after two wrong turns and a close encounter with a rat, Molly came to a vent in the exhibit hall.  The hall was different now.  The exhibits had been pushed back to the walls, and the Gate had a DHD in front of it…as dozens of Ga'ould marched out of it.  Some of them had staffs, and others had bigger guns…much bigger guns.     Molly continued wiggling down to a junction box and took out some of the tools that she always kept with her.  She bit her lip. If her mother knew she was doing this…

            The Junction box controlled the lights in the room.  Molly made a quick cut, and another quick adjustment, and then went back to the vent, quickly.  The lights had died, and the shouts of Jaffa filled the room.  The outside lights left the room in near darkness, and most of the Jaffa were at the corners, or leaving, trying to get the lights working again. Molly opened the vent, and slid down a tapestry, her small form nearly lost in the shadows. 

            She snuck carefully towards the DHD, hoping that her next diversion would work. It did.  The junction box also controlled the fire alarm, and the clangor filled the room. The Jaffa turned as one and charged to the outer perimeter, preparing for an attack.  The nine year old resisted the desire to shout with delight and ran to the DHD and started pressing the keys.  

            Then the Stargate started making sounds, and the shouts of the Jaffa stopped getting further away, and started getting closer. Molly looked in horror at it, and redoubled her efforts.  She hit the big central button and the gate opened, the shimmering curtain filling it.  Molly started to run, then, just remembering, smashed the putty down on the DHD, busing the capsule.  A rancid smell filled the air and the bear cub took off for the gate.  

            "Stop~!"  A shout came from behind her, she redoubled her speed, as a bolt energy flashed over her shoulder, putting a hole in a wall.  Another, and another did, one seeming to tug at her shoulder.  Finally, Molly took a flying leap at the gate, just as it vanished.

            Behind her, the Jaffa charged forward, then stopped as the one in the lead noticed the putty and the smoke rising from the DHD.  He frantically motioned the others back and they cleared the room just as the DHD went up in a gout of flame. Back in his room, Daniel closed his eyes.  He hoped that Molly hadn't gone up with the DHD.  

            600 light years away, a stargate opened and Molly came tumbling out.  Without missing a beat, she ran away from it, just in case those "Jaffa" were following her.  After several minutes, Molly relaxed and started to look around.  

            The world looked like a park…except the trees looked like big mushrooms, and the sun was an odd shade of blue…and the birds had four wings…

            "Wow…"  Molly said.  So this was the place with the great fishing.  She hadn't gone directly to the place Daniel had told  her was the "message drop".  If the Ga'ould had followed her, she figured it would be bad to lead them to her destination.    For a moment, Molly forgot about all that, as she looked around, even her steps felt lighter, like she didn't weigh as much.  "Wow…"  She repeated, before touching her shoulder and wincing.  The beam had burned away the fabric, but hadn't hurt her skin…but it was still sore… Molly shrugged.  She'd had worse playing softball. 

            She walked up to the DHD, and took out her paper.  Now it was time to get help.  A few minutes later, and the place was empty, the stargate shimmering as it completed another transit. 

            Molly bounced out again. This time into a hot yellow sun.  She looked around. This world seemed to be nothing but ruined buildings and desert.  Some scrubby plants grew here and there, but not many, and the dust made her cough.  

            "I liked the other place better."  She said, and walked up to the equipment set up in front of the stargate.  There was a seat, and in front of the seat, there were dozens of buttons, all covered, all mysterious. Molly couldn't make anything of them at all. Then there was on, great big red button-- and that one was pretty obvious.  Molly punched it.  

            The Stargate started to rotate, while a wheeled machine went up to it, and extended a pipe.  Molly remained perched on the seat.

            SGC:

            The sound of the alarm brought General Hammond at a run.

            "What is it?"

            "Unscheduled gate sir-- it's coming from  PS-2232.  We're reading an emergency situation."  Hammond nodded.

            "Attention-- medical and defense status 1."  The problem with the message drops was that they had to have a way for a severely injured SG member to get a message home-- but that meant that anyone else could as well.  Without a code, they had to treat it as possibly dangerous.  At least, with the iris partially closed, nothing material could get through. 

            "We're getting a signal.."

            "Very good, patch it over here…what in the Sam Hill is that?" Hammond asked. There was well… it looked like a girl. A fur covered girl with a muzzle, in overalls and a white shirt, sitting perched on the chair, looking into the camera with an expression of curiosity.

            "I don't know sir." 

            "Well we'd better find out.  Major!"

            "Yes sir?"

            "Take a team and secure that area!"

            "Yes sir!"

            Molly sat, looking annoyed. The gate had opened, and then the gadgets had come alive… and now the gate was closed and everything had turned off.  She folded her arms, and considered going back to the fishing hole planet. 

            Then the gate opened, and dozens  of people emerged, charging off the ramp and taking up positions, pointing guns in every direction, including hers.  

            "Site secure sir!"

            "No hostiles present!"

            One of the soldiers walked over to Molly and motioned her aside while another kept her covered with a…Zat Teal'c had called it.  The soldier hit several buttons and a screen came to life, showing a bald man. Molly looked curiously.  

            "Sir, no hostile present-- nobody present, except for…well, this."  Molly broke in.

            "Are you General Hammond?"  Hammond's eyes widened.  

            "Yes…and you are?"  Molly remembered her manners and her message.

            "Molly Cunningham, sir, and Dr. Jackson needs help, see, he and everyone came through a gate only we didn't have a DHD and they went to go get one but then a bunch of Jaffa came through and they've got everyone in the museum hostage and he told me to."  Hammond raised his hands to shield himself from her breathless deluge.  

            "Hold on, young lady.   Major, bring her on through-- I think we need to have a talk."

            "Yes sir!"

            Pirate Island: 

            The dungeon was dank…like it had been when they came into it. 

            "Carter,  how much time has gone by?"

            "two minutes, thirty five seconds from your last comment, sir."

            "Thanks."

            "What is keeping Katy?"  Becky stormed up and down the room, "What is she doing?"

            "You should not be angry with her-- it is possible she is making a greater sacrifice than any of us."  Teal'c said.  

            "I'm not angry at her… I'm just a business woman trying to make a living, and now I'm captured by a *pirate!*"

            "Well, the rooms bigger than it was last time, Beckers."  Baloo said. 

            "Beckers?"  O'Neil commented.

            "Rebecca!"  Becky snapped. 

            "You get captured like this a lot?"  Carter interjected..

            "Yes."  Rebecca said, sulking.

            "You certain you don't have a thing for this pirate?"  O'Neil said. "I mean if you get captured by him so mu-"

            "No! Don't even think that!"  Rebecca said, and marched over and sat down next to Baloo.

            Don Karnage's room was…overdone.  Tasteless. Baroque.  Gaudy.  Katy had  to shield her eyes for a moment before she could enter. Karnage was standing in all his martial glory, glaring down at her from his throne. 

            "You have a throne, in your bedroom?"  She asked. 

            "Why of course-- how else could my magnificence greet the morning?"

            "Oh, well, it's not that that I'm wanting to see…" Katy purred, walking forward.  A quick thrust with a foot slammed the door in the guard's face, leaving the two of them alone.  Karnage suddenly ran a finger around his collar, loosening it.  

            "I've heard so much about you…" Katy said, undoing two more buttons.  Karnage found himself backing up.  She wasn't as loud…but he was beginning to get scary "Aunt Louise" flashbacks, and it had taken four  months before the nightmares stopped.  Didn't women know they were supposed to be fearful and timid in his pres-  He gave a startled cry as Katy grabbed him and with an "oof" tossed him to the bed. 

            In his flailing, his foot hit the key of the mike he used for his address to his men….

            Meanwhile, in the dungeon,  the others were still waiting.

            "Carter-"

            "Three minutes, twenty-two seconds, sir."  Carter said. 

            "I've been asking that much?"  

            "Yes sir,"

            "I told you that over stuffed--" Rebecca's voice cut off as the sound of  the speakers came up.  

            "Does he have this entire place wired for sound?"  Baloo wanted to know.  Then the exact nature of the sounds came up.

            "Madam!  Please, control yourself, I am the dread pirate Don Karnage…I AIIIAEEGGH!" The scream broke off.

            "Oh, Karny…let me help you out of those nasty confining clothes…"

            "EEEK!"  Kit grinned at that, and then subsided as Rebecca glared at him.  Baloo was rubbing off on that boy to far too great a degree. 

            Baloo shuddered.

            "That poor brave girl…"  He said.   O'Neil, Carter, Rebecca and Kit all looked at him.  

            "Poor Girl?"  Rebecca asked, "Do you have any idea of what she's do-"

            "Now, now… you do not want me to be calling my guards--"

            "Oh Dear…already cornered…don't worry Karny dear…"  Katy's voice came over the speakers, *oozing* aggressive femininity.  

            "She is obviously meeting him in battle."  Teal'c said.

            "Oh thank you Teal'c, that is *not* the image I wanted to see…."  O'Neil said.  Abruptly, there was a series of loud thumping sounds from the speakers, which went dead. 

            "That's a relief."  Rebecca growled. 

            "Hey, Beckers… Katy's trying to get us freed."

            "I don't think that was getting us freed, Baloo, it sounded more like"

            "Hey!"  O'Neil interjected. "One more argument and I send you both to a time out corner…"  There was a sound at the door, and Teal'c, Baloo and O'Neil quickly placed themselves around it. When it opened, they saw Karnage's jacket…around a slightly mussed Katy Dodd. 

            "See, I told you  I could get us out!" She said.  brandishing the keys, and their weapons.

            "Where did you get these?" Teal'c asked. 

            "Karnage wasn't ready to risk having his idiot minions use them-- they were under his bed."  Katy explained.

            "Where is Karnage now?"  Carter asked. Katy gave a flip of her arm, which did distracting things to the geography under the jacket.  Baloo melted.  Becky glared.

            "He's hiding under the bed in their place…you know, for a dread pirate, he's got a really marshmellowy center when it comes to  women…"

            "Yes, that's very nice and something I'll file under 'things I don't want to think about' "  O'Neil said, grabbing his Zat gun and rifle. "But now, lets get the DHD and get out of here.     They quickly ran to the store room, and this time didn't trigger the trap…  Baloo and Teal'c managed to lift the DHD…not without Rebecca giving a longing gaze at everything else in the room.  

            Half way to the Sea Duck, they ran into several pirates, which Samantha and O'Neil quickly Zatted into unconscious heaps.  

            "Let's go kids…" O'Neil said, looking back, unloading another volley of Zat blasts,  "If we're lucky we can get out before Don Juan comes out from hiding under his bed…" 

            "Oh don't worry about that." Katy said. 

            "Hmph!" Rebecca growled. "I would have found something else to wear.."

            "Oh don't be so jealous Becky."  Baloo said.  

            "Right," Katy said smiling.  "Besides, I didn't want to take that much time, and I'm certain that nobody else did.  Don't be so intimidated."

            "Intimidated! While I'll have you know!"

            "Carter?"

            "Yes sir?"

            "Remind me-- it's not good form to shoot our allies, is it?"

            "No, Colonel O'Neil."

            "Darn."

            Once they got to the Sea Duck, Kit and Baloo wasted no time in getting out of there.  The pirates were still occupied, and Baloo managed to make it out without a dogfight-- something of a first.  Then he turned around to everyone in the back of the plane.

            "One stop, and we're back home kiddies!"  Rebecca advanced on him.

            "Tell me you're not stopping at Louie's!"  She cried. 

            "No choice bosslady-- unless you have someway to turn ten gallons of gas into twenty.  We'd never make it back to Cape Suzzette."   Carter looked over at O'Neil.

            "Sir, it shouldn't cause that much of a problem."            

            "You don't know Baloo and Louie's…" Rebecca said.  "We'll be lucky to get out before tomorrow."

            "Hey Beckers… I'll make it in time-- I'm not always late, you know."  Becky didn't even dignify that with a "hah!".  

            When they touched down at Louie's, Baloo was surprised to see all the planes there.  

            "That ain't normal…" He said, "This isn't lunch."  O'Neil looked over at Carter and then turned to everyone else.  

            "OK… Baloo and I will go in-- everyone else *stay* here-- we won't even be here long enough for a bathroom break.  Carter,"  He said in a lower voice, "Stay on the radio, just in case. Teal'c, keep that DHD under guard-- I don't want it going for another walk."

            "I will, O'Neil."

            The monkeys  looked surprised at O'Neil-- O'Neil flipped one a quarter, 

            "Just fill it up-- we won't be here long…"

            "Say, Colonel…"  Baloo said, in an wheedling voice. "Ya'know, being new here, maybe I should show you some of the sights…and you don't get much better then a triple fudge sparkler-"

            "No."

            "but-"

            "No."

            "Not even-"  Baloo said, looking desperate.

            "NO. Not even for anything!"  O'Neil turned and commented. "I'm late-- and since I am completely out of my special stationary to keep Apothis from launching his giant monster battleship, I want to get there in time to spoil the launch when it does occur-- understood!"

            "Yeah….but could I order something to go-"

            "NO!!"

            When they entered the room, Baloo noticed two things.  First of all, it was crowded.  Secondly, everyone was utterly quiet, listening to the two radios that were playing a news bulletin from Cape Suzzette. 

            "This is incredible, Ladies and Gentlemen!"  The reporter was breathless.  "Aliens have invaded the city history museum."

            "Oh boy…" O'Neil said under his breath.  

            "They have ray guns, and have taken the entire block hostage-- the police and army have had no success in rooting them out, although nobody has been killed as of yet."

            "I thought you-"

            "Cuz, did  you hear-- who's this?"  Louie said, looking at the tall human.

            "He's an alien!"  One of the local barflies shouted,  

            "Get him!"  Another roared.  O'Neil stepped back, as the barfly missed with a thrown bottle, pulled his Zat and knocked him off the stool with a bolt of blue energy.  Immediately, pandemonium filled the room.

            "An Alien!"

            "Death Rays!"

            "RUN!"  Thirty seconds later, the entire room was empty except for the unconscious barfly and Louie. 

            "Now what'd you go and do that for?"  Louie asked.

            "Pre-emptive anti-lynch mob tactics,"  O'Neil confided.

            "Hey Colonel…are those the guys chasing you?"

            "Sure sounds that way."  O'Neil said.  Baloo blanched.

            "Myra…O'Bowens… MOLLY!"  He looked like he was about to run in four different directions, "Louie, ya gotta fill us up quick-- no time for food, Molly's in that museum!"

            "Short stuff?" Louie said, then quickly ran behind the bar and tossed some keys to one of his waiters, "I'm with you, 'Cuz…"

            "Oh Great…" O'Neil said, then he keyed the mike. 

            "Carter?"

            "Sir, what happened, every other plane just took off."

            "Just my normal charming way of explaining things."

            "Oh."

            "We've got a bigger problem-- a bunch of Jaffa are in the building."

            "Sir….that's bad-- there's nothing to keep them from dialing into a major base of Apohtis and simply bringing in more Jaffa…"

            "Yeah, I know-- as I see it, our job changed-- we need to rescue Daniel and the others, and make certain that gate is either under our control, or closed, before they bring enough troops through to   take down the city."

            "Understood sir."  Carter looked over,  where Rebecca had been turning a slow shade of white as the full import of the conversation came home to her.  

            "My….baby's In the museum!" She said. 

            "Jaffa would be unlikely to kill Molly Cunningham-- she is beneath their notice."  Teal'c said.  Rebecca said nothing, as she staggered back to a seat, where she didn't notice Katy helping her sit down.  Then, her face went from white to red and she snarled. 

            "They'd better not, if they've hurt one hair on her head, I'll rip them into small pieces!"    Before anyone could reply, O'Neil, Louie, and Baloo tumbled on board. 

            "Go Baloo!" O'Neil ordered, and Baloo cut his take off even shorter than normal, as the Sea Duck seemed to rocket into the air.   Kit, from his copilots seat, looked up at O'Neil.

            "How much trouble are we in, sir?"  The 14 year old asked.  O'Neil looked at the kid, and dropped the first three things he might have said-- he didn't lie to kids and everyone who knew Kit seemed to think he could handle it. Fine.

            "Somewhere between hopeless and very bad, Kit…"  he paused.  "Of course, the fact that they've stayed in the building keeps it towards the very bad side of the equation…"  

            "Sir…what if they don't have a DHD themselves?"  Samantha asked.

            "Jaffa would always try to bring a method of dialing home for help." Teal'c said.  "Even if they had to dismount a DHD from their home stargate, they would bring one. 

            "But in that case, the city should be swarming with them… Teal'c-- you saw what these people consider "dread pirates.""  Samantha continued.  "If that's what they see as dangerous--- how long would it take Jaffa warriors to take the city?"

            "You have a very good point….."  Teal'c commented.  "If so, and if we can gain control of the stargate, this world may yet be kept from falling to Apothis"

            "You ain't filling me with a lot of good feeling's, cuz."     Louie commented.

            "It was not my intention to do so," Teal'c replied. 

            "Don't worry about Teal'c…Louie."  O'Neil said.  "He doesn't really have this whole joke thing down…"  Under his breath he muttered. "I cannot believe I'm talking to an Orangutan in a Hawaiian shirt…"  

            "Oh everyone just shut up!  Baloo-- can't you get this thing to go any faster?"  Rebecca stomped her foot.  This time, O'Neil didn't say a thing to her. 

            "Just as fast as I can, Beckers-- we'll get pigtails, don't you worry…"

            END PART I


	2. Chapter II

SGC:

            General Hammond waited at the bottom of the ramp as Molly was escorted into the SGC through the gate. The child looked more than a little intimidated. Molly's eyes  kept going back and forth from the heavily armed soldiers that had brought her through, to the soldiers below the ramp, to the control center, behind it's observation ports, and the entire chamber, covered with incomprehensible gadgets, men and women going here and there, on some errand of another.  The only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that Myra and Dr. Jackson were depending on her. 

The man at the foot of the ramp, General Hammond, looked nice-- not at all as threatening as everyone else.  He walked forward and looked at her, putting out his hand. 

"Hello, I'm General Hammond.  Welcome to the SGC."  Molly looked up at him, and did what her mom told her to do when a respectable (read-- rich) man wanted to be polite.  She put her own hand out and shook hands…although she had to admit that General Hammond seemed much more polite then most of the people mom dragged her to go see. 

"I'm Molly Cunningham…" Molly paused, then remembered the very important thing.  "Oh!  I blew up the DHD they had brought with them!"  She finished.  Hammond looked surprised, then nodded. 

"You did, did  you?  Very good.  Well, Molly, you look tired and hungry, so why don't we go to the for a bite-- right after Dr. Frazier here checks you out."  He gestured at a woman in a white coat.  Molly tensed. 

"But I'm not sick…"  She said.  The doctor smiled and replied.

"Nobody says you are-- but different worlds have different foods, germs, and things like that-- this way I can make certain you're not allergic to anything-- besides, the general will be with you the whole time."

"Ok…" Molly said, doubtfully.  As she  followed the two out of the SGC. Some of the guards moved to follow her, but Hammond gestured them back.

The examination didn't take long, and Molly quickly found herself in front of a plate full of "Dr. Frazier" approved food.  To her surprise, she found herself ravenous.  Hammond and Frazier quietly excused themselves to an office outside the examination room-- which had a series of monitors watching the child.

"Well, Doctor?"  Hammond asked.

"Sir, you'll probably be surprised--but on the inside, she's about 99 percent human.  I think we're seeing Ga'ould genetic engineering."

"How recent?"  Hammond said. 

"Not very-- there's a fair amount of genetic drift in the samples I took,"  Frazier said, pointing at a read out that was greek as far as the general could tell, "And although I can't be certain, I'd say this happened at least 3000  years ago…maybe longer."  Hammond relaxed, slightly.  That hopefully ruled out any Ga'ould biological weapons.

"And what are your impressions of Molly?"  He asked.

"Bright, young, more than a little scared, but not letting that stop her." Frazier said. "Very open minded-- you heard all the questions she was asking."  She paused, "Especially if her home world's technology is as low as she indicated, it was impressive that she was able to understand that the computers are 'super sliderules' as fast as she did."  Hammond nodded.  

"She's bright…but she's also landed a problem on our laps."

"Sir?"  The door opened behind him, but Hammond didn't turn, concentrating on the blonde bearess at the table. 

"I can't send a rescue mission through the Stargate-- even without a DHD, the Jaffa guarding it have to be expecting an attack…and I can't roll  bomb through to clear them out-- not without killing the other hostages."  

"Then perhaps I may be of Assistance, General Hammond." Hammond turned and smiled. 

"Master Bra'tac!  I wasn't aware you were here."

"I had just arrived-- we received some information that Teal'c and his companions had been forced to journey to another stargate. Apparently, The information was true.  The older Jaffa walked up to the monitor and looked at Molly.

"She's from the world that SG-1 is stranded on," Hammond explained.  "I think it's time we go have a chat with her."

Molly had finished eating and was looking around at the various gadgets on the wall.  She  avoided touching them, but the strain was killing her.  Then the door opened, and General Hammond, Dr. Frazier, and another old man, who looked like Teal'c's dad walked through.  Molly looked up at him, slightly intimidated…he also looked like the Jaffa that had tried to kill her. 

"Hello, Molly Cunningham."  He said, "I am Master Bra'tac and I thank you for bringing me knowledge of Teal'c and his companions.  

"I had to… I couldn't do anything myself." Molly said, unable to avoid some annoyance in her voice.  "They were too big…"  Hammond spoke up.

            "You have done a great deal, yourself, Molly.  In fact, I was wanting to invite you to join us as we plan to rescue everyone…"  Molly's face brightened-- *they* weren't telling her to stay out of the way.

            In the main conference room, Molly quickly realized just how fast things were going to move.  There was an odd flag, with stars and strips, and another with some other symbols on it, but she had little time to look at them, or the stargate out the window.  Hammond, Bra'tac and some other men in uniforms got to work right away…and they had lots of questions for Molly.

            "Ok… I need you to draw, from your best memories, the room the stargate is in."

            "This vase that got vaporized…where was it?"

            "How many Jaffa? Did any of them have weird sounding voices?"  Molly answered the questions, and then answered more questions.

            "Can you draw where the vase was?"  

            "Are you *certain* those were Jaffa you saw?"  Molly started to get frustrated, but General Hammond calmed her down.

            "Don't worry, Molly."  He said.  "We keep asking you questions because sometimes you might have forgotten something, and this is a good way to help you remember-- even people like Colonel O'Neil have to go through this."  Molly subsided and kept trying to cooperate.  

            With her help, a floor map of the main room began to take shape, with less detailed plans for the rest of the museum.  Molly found herself being shunted to the back of the room as Hammond and the other soldiers kept a discussion.

            "Sir, We could use a series of  explosive devices to take out any Jaffa in the main chamber, then send in our troops."

            "And it  would also "take out" any hostages if they had moved them into the room, to say nothing of the danger of bringing the entire building down."      

            "What about shock grenades?"  Bra'tac answered that one.

            "Jaffa have used shock grenades for centuries-- they would have some stationed outside of the room, beyond their danger radius, but able to fire into the room."  The room started to fill with depression.

            "What's wrong?" Molly asked. 

            "It is difficult to attack a stargate that is defended, Molly Cunningham."  Bra'tac said.  "I believe that we will have to consider another route. "

            "Like?"  Hammond asked. 

            "These coordinates, if they are correct, place this world near a world held by my people, General."  Bra'tac said.  "We can gate there, and then take a ship to their world-- at least it would let us discover the fate of the rest of SG-1."  Hammond nodded.  

            "I'll get the get a team ready-- will you have any Jaffa that can come along?"

            "Yes."

            "What about me?"  Molly said. Hammond looked down at her and thought.

            "You'll have to stay here, Molly,  and wait until we can secure the other end of the gate…then you can go home."

            "General Hammond."  Bra'tac interjected.

            "Yes?"  The elderly Jaffa looked over at Molly, then back at Hammond.

            "If we must destroy the gate, then it would be best were she to come with us…and best for her to rejoin her companions, especially if the Jaffa have succeeded in contacting Apothis." Molly didn't know what was going on, but Hammond's face seemed to get more set. 

            "I…understand.  Molly, you can come with us…"

            "Yay!" He overrode her exuberance. 

            "BUT, you must do exactly what I, or any other member of the group says."

            "I-"

            "Your promise, or you don't go."

            "I promise," Molly said meekly. 

            "Then let us go-- there is little time."  Bra'Tac said.  Molly was amazed at how quickly things moved-- in less time than it took Baloo to wake up, she, Hammond, Bra'tac were on the ramp, surrounded by  the heavily armed soldiers of SG-4 and SG-5.    Some of the soldiers spared her dubious looks, others grinned at her reassuringly. Molly felt safer then she had in some time.  

            "Stargate open.  Godspeed sir!"  And the whole group walked through the stargate.

            Molly was disappointed at the other world. It was dark, but most of the trees looked normal, and the buildings also looked like something you might see in Macadamia or Aridia.    But the men were just like the Jaffa that had almost killed Molly.  She resisted the urge to move closer to General Hammond or Bra'tac

            "My friend," One of the Jaffa said, gripping arms with Bra'Tac.  "As you requested, I have twenty warriors." Bra'Tac nodded. 

            "That is all the ship can easily carry, or that can be spared without weakening our defenses here.  We leave immediately."

            Everyone took off at a quick trot, Molly in the van, momentarily forgotten by everyone else, even Hammond.  She got onto the ship, along with the others, and quickly found an out of the way spot on the bridge.  Within minutes, the ship was shooting up into the night sky, heading for her world. 

            "Now Bra'tac, I think we should come in under stealth-- there's no guarantee that no Ga'ould ships haven't been summoned."

            "I agree, my friend I-"  A soft exhalation of wonder interrupted him, and he turned, then smiled.  Molly had pushed her face up against the window, watching the planet fall behind, the curve of the surface becoming more and more apparent as the ship reached into space.  Both Bra'tac and Hammond had to smile at it.

            "It was the same for me, Molly Cunningham…"  Bra'tac said.  "But if you thought that was wonderful…" He touched a stud, "Entering hyperspace."  The familiar rift opened before the ship, as it vanished.  In the depths of space, the awed sound of a young girls voice seemed to linger for a moment.

"Oh…_Wow_…."

***

            The Sea Duck drove through the sky, the persons on it tried to will it to go faster.  Kit had the radio tuned to the news station, and they listened to the increasingly hysterical reports.

            "Not good."  O'Neil said. 

            "I agree…"  Teal'c replied.  Carter was holding Kit's airboard, which he'd accidentally dropped on the way in.  She looked at it and back at Kit.

            "What's this for?"  She asked. Kit looked back and gave a grin.

            "For airboarding." He said.  He took it out of her hands and unfolded it,  the pointed to the hoist in the rear. 

            "Excuse me?"   Carter said.  Kit explained… "That's not possible." She said flatly.  Kit frowned.  

            "I do it all the time…"

            "And he's the only one,"  Baloo said, 

            "I don't mean it's impossible in that sense…it's physically impossible."  Carter said, "The speed you'd have to go at would be impossible…wait a minute."  She observed Kit's airboard closely, then blinked and looked up.  "Sir…I think this is made of a alloy that includes Naqqada."  

            "Which means?"

            "Well sir, Naqqada is used in the inertial compensators of the Ga'ould…this could be having the same effect."

            "Where did you get the material to build this, Kit Cloudkicker?" Teal'c asked.

            "Oh, it's a special metal-- but  you can get it if you look around."  Kit said, shrugging. He'd never considered it-- it was just the type of metal you used. 

            "That indicates that this world might be very rich in Naqqada ore, "

            "Great."  O'Neil said, putting his hat on and closing his eyes.  "Another reason for the Ga'ould to want the place…"

            As Baloo brought the Sea Duck into Cape Suzzette, they could see the city looked like a bee hive that had been kicked over.  Dozens of fighters buzzed over the city, while smaller planes and boats clustered the harbor below, some packing the exits, others seeming to try to get closer.  Where the museum was, several curls of smoke rose towards the sky.  

            "Oh No!" Katy breathed. 

            "Hang on, Kids."  Baloo said, after clearing with air control.  "I'm going to put us down a little closer…"

            "Baloo!  They said to land in the normal place!" Rebecca said.

            "Sorry bosslady-- but look at that traffic-- we'd spend all day just getting to the place." Baloo aimed the Seaduck for a park just a block from the museum, with a large…but entirely too small for comfort duck pond.  

            "Hold on--  Hey!"  O'Neil said. "That's not a good place to land…"

            "Why not?"

            "Because there's a building right behind it!"  O'Neil said.

            "Baloo, this planes far to big to land in that area…"  Samantha said, then dove for her seat as the Sea Duck slamned into the water, making a 360 degree spin, as Baloo expertly dumped the velocity, before gently nudging them up to the shore."

            "All off Baloo's air service!"  He said.  

            "Higher for Hire!"  Becky shouted.

            "Lunatics Let Loose!" O'Neil furiously added.  

            "Let us go."  Teal'c said, helping Katy up, and opening the door.  "I believe you should explain our presence to the police, Baloo."   

            "Uh, yeah, that'd be good."

****

            "Captain, I am not interested in hearing why you cannot enter the building, I am interested in hearing how you intend to rectify that problem."  Shere Khan inspected his needle sharp claws as another blazing bolt of light obliterated a parked car at the end of the block, sending pieces soaring into the sky.

            The captain before him, Captain Grog…down from Colonel  Grogg, held  on to his still smoldering hat while he desperately tried to explain.

            "But Mr. Khan, they have death rays!"

            "Yes, they do." Khan purred.  "That is why the army was called, instead of the street sweepers."  He looked at a tank…or at least two-thirds of the tank that were not melted.  "I would suggest that you apply yourself to finding a less…direct approach to taking the building."

            "Hey Khanny!"  A familiar voice intruded into Khan's hearing and he turned and saw Baloo waving as he approached, leading a… very unusual group. One eyebrow rose.  Grogg saw them, turned pale and screamed.

            "The Aliens! They've  returned!"  He tried to grab for his gun, and dropped it.  Khan lifted him by the scruff of his neck.

            "Control yourself, captain.  I will speak with you momentarily."  He said, before tossing him behind another car.  "Ah Baloo…I see you have brought friends."  He looked them over, stopping at Teal'c,, the only one who could match him in both height and build.  Teal'c looked back impassively.  O'Neil looked at the cowering Captain Grog.

            "Tell me we don't have to work with him." O'Neil said. Khan nodded. 

            "No…but I would appreciate it if you would explain to me what someone is doing shooting *my* city up."  Baloo, Rebecca and Katy gave him a rapid fire and at times simultaneous explanation.  Khan kept up with it all, before lifting one hand and stopping the flood.

            "So, You are Colonel O'Neil."  He said, dismissing the others.  

            "That would be  me, yes." O'Neil said.

            "I take it you have a plan to remove these 'Jaffa'" without doing further damage to the city?" Khan asked, like he would have asked if  O'Neil had decided where he was going to eat breakfast.

            "Well, yes.  Actually, I'm going to appeal to their sense of fair play and have a tennis match, winner takes all."  Khan's eyes narrowed.  He was not used to that form of response.  

            "Sir," Carter said, playing peacemaker.  "We have to insure that the hostages don't come to any harm. Have you heard anything about them?" 

            "Only that if any attempt is made to assault the building, they will be killed."

            "Oh, and when were you going to share that little tidbit with us?"  O'Neil demanded.

            "In good time, Colonel, all in good time…"  A bolt of energy blew a corner of the building off.  Everyone ducked, Khan brushed some of the dust from his shoulder. 

            "Sir, that wasn't a staff weapon." 

            "I know, Carter, I know!"  Jack was about to say something else, when a bellow came from the building. 

            "If you do not provide us with the gate control device, we will kill one of our prisoners!"  The window over the main entrance opened, and a Jaffa strode out.  "I have sent one of my men to get a prisoner, and then you will have to decide!"

            "Great…"  Jack said. "Teal'c-- how many do you think?"  Teal'c had a small mirror out and was looking through it.

            "I do not know, O'Neil-- there are at least four heavy weapons… I do not think there would be fewer then twenty Jaffa."

            "Well we know that they don't have a DHD"  Carter said.  

            "But they do have my baby!"  Becky wailed."   

            "And  my artifacts!"  Katy snarled. 

            "Well, have we seen any of the hostages?"

            "No,"  Khan replied to O'Neil.  O'Neil and Carter shared a glance. There were several reasons why you wouldn't show hostages, and at least one of them involved said hostages no longer being alive.

            "OK…"  O'Neil said. "I don't see a lot of options here…and if *that*" he said, pointing at Captain Grogg, "is an example of the local talent…I'd like  to keep this in house.  I-"  A burst of static interrupted him.  O'Neil looked around and then grabbed his radio link.

            "Co-.sch… O'N…."

            "This is O'Neil, who is this?" He waited and the signal came back, more intelligible. 

            "This is General Hammond." 

            "*General?*" O'Neil said, shocked. "Where  are you sir?"

            "Twenty miles up and getting closer-- we hitched a ride from Master Bra'tac."  Teal'c got an extremely satisfied look on his face. 

            "How did you know we needed help, sir?"  Carter asked.  "We couldn't get in touch with you…"

            "Well, we had someone on the scene who managed to get through the gate to the drop site."

            "Danial?"  O'Neil asked, and then blinked as a familiar voice chirped out over the radio. 

            "No, ME!"  Molly Cunningham said.  Rebecca gasped.

            "Molly?  What are you doing up there?"

            "Good question-- but not now." O'Neil said.  "Sir, there's a yellow seaplane in a pond, just South of the building the Jaffa  and the gate are holed up in."

            "I see, it.  We'll be there in five. Hammond Out."

            In less than five minutes, the bulk of the transport landed next to the Sea Duck, dwarfing the air craft.  But O'Neil only had eyes for the dozens of deadly, well armed, and COMPETANT SG teams and Jaffa warriors trotting down the loading ramp.    Rebecca saw Molly, walking between Master Bra'tac and Hammond and swept her up in a hug, ignoring her protestations.  Then, sitting her down, she turned to Kit.

            "Kit, keep her out of trouble!"

            "But I want to help-"

            "Kit…"

            "Don't worry, Kit…I think the Colonel's people have it under control."  Baloo said, looking at the fire power moving past him.  Khan wasn't intimidated at all. 

            "On the contrary, Mr. Baloo…the difficulty remains the same."  Khan paused, "I assume that these Jaffa do not surrender?"

            "No." Teal'c replied, "they would die for their false god."

            "And they would kill the hostages?"

            "They would."

            "Then…" Khan calmly stated, "The problem remains-- most hostage takers do not harm their hostages because they do not wish to die."

            "And there's every chance that other Jaffa are trying gate  codes at random… there are ways to activate a gate without a DHD"  Carter said.  "If they find this one, the Jaffa can communicate back the same way we do…and then they can send more troops through and another DHD."

            "Possibly not."  Bra'tac said.  Carter looked at him.

            "My information."  Bra'tac continued, "Indicates that the Jaffa were so close on your heals they could not contact Apothis…and therefore are cut off."    He paused, "If we can keep them from reporting back, this world will be safe…"

            "But if they think they _can't_ get back, Daniel, Myra, and everyone else is dead."  Carter said.  

            "Not Myra!" Baloo burst out, "Colonel, you gotta do something!"

            "I am doing something, Baloo!"  O'Neil said.

            "What?"

            "Thinking… OK…we've surrounded them…what if we let them know that there's a starship, and try to decoy them into trying to take it?"

            "That would be Risky, O'Neil…they would likely leave a group in the Museum…or take the hostages…" Teal'c said.  O'Neil looked unhappy.  

            "And that nice lawn around the place is great for a kill zone…haven't you people ever heard of big, ostentatious, lawn sculptures?"  

            "Colonel, a frontal assault may be our only way."  Carter said. 

            "No. To many casualties, and way too much opportunity to kill the hostages."  O'Neil 

            "Sir, I don't see any other alternative…" Carter said, "The longer we wait, the bigger the chance is that they'll kill them anyway."

            Kit felt a nudge at his arm. He looked down and saw Molly.  She gestured, saying nothing, and he followed her to an out of the way corner.

            "What Molly?"

            "_I_ know how to get in there and rescue everyone." The nine year old said. Kit got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  Molly had _that_ look. 

            "Molly, Miz Cunningham told me to keep you out of trouble."  Molly put her hands on her hips in a very Rebeccaish pose.

            "Kit Cloudkicker, if more of these people come here, we'll _all_ be in trouble."  She said. "We can go in and get Ms. Foxworthy and Mr. Jackson out, right?"  She smiled, "Because I can still get through the ventilation shaft…and you can, if you try _real_ hard."

            "And what do we do then?"  Kit asked, trying to be the voice of reason.

            "I also k now where they keep those lightning guns-- Zats… and knock out bombs." Molly said, a sly smile on her face. "Nobody told me not to mess with them…."  She continued in a rush, "So we can give them to the hostages and then they can get out and everyone will be OK!"

            Kit marshelled the intelligent arguments against such a course of action, staring with _are you nuts!_ And going down from there.  Unfortunately, Molly made sense…and of course, it had been a while since he'd done anything truly exciting-- cleaning out the refigerator of Baloo's old leftovers didn't count-- nothing tried to eat him last time he'd done that.  Of course there had been the time when one of the leftovers had tried to pull Ms. Cunningham into the fridge, but that was _last_ month.

            "Molly, you heard them…"

            "Mom said to keep out of trouble…if the Jaffa," Molly said, "Call their  friends, we'll _all _be in trouble.  So, I'm not really getting in trouble, see!?"  She turned around, and looked back at the building,  "But you're right…" She said, "I suppose it's too dangerous and scary…"

            "Hey!"  Kit said angrily, "I didn't say anything about that!"  He paused, "OK…but we just go in to give Dr. Jackson and Myra these things and come right back out."

            "_Certainly, _Kit." Molly said, and then positively squealed. "Let's go and get what we  need!"  Kit groaned.  He was going to regret this…  

            Getting into the ship was easy-- most of the SG teams and the Jaffa were with Khan and the others.  Molly was used to being quick, small, and ignored, and so she dove in and came back out, with her hands loaded with metal spheres, and strange looking guns. 

            "Here.." Molly said, unfolding a "zat" which than made a strange noise.  "I listened to the others and watched them.  This is how you open  it…" She pointed at a tree, and  a lightning bolt came out of it and zapped the tree. "And that's how you fire it."  Kit looked unimpressed.  The tree was still there.

            "It didn't do anything." He muttered.

            "Yes it did…" Molly said, "It only..stuns people, not kills them."  She paused, "But Master Bra'Tac said that if you shoot a person more than once, it could kill them." Kit gingerly took the a gun, and stuffed the others in his pockets.  The globes were activated, as far as Molly could tell, by depressing a single large button-- they were supposed to be knockout bombs, but since Molly had never seen them used, Kit took that with a grain of salt-- hopefully he wouldn't need to find out.

            "OK…" Kit said, "lets go."  He paused.  How _could_ they get in there?

"The central heating system is part of the central city system."  Molly supplied. He blinked, "How did you know that?"  He said, turning towards Molly.  The cub shrugged.

            "School field trip." She said, "Than I got interested and did a report on it-- every building in the downtown is connected up."  She looked up at Kit. "At least it was something interesting to do-- since I don't get permission to come with you and  Baloo much…"  She cocked her head at him and narrowed her eyes.  Kit took the cowardly way out.

            "Oh, we'd better head out before someone sees us!" He said.

            "Right," Molly said.  They quickly moved to another building, and Kit took out a Swiss Army Knife from his pocket, jimmying the lock.  Fortunately, the power was off in the immediate area, so there was no clangor of alarm bells. 

            "Kit?" Molly's voice drifted up out of the darkness as they headed towards the basement.

            "Yes?"

            "Thanks for listening to me."

            "No problem, Molly." Kit said.  That had made her happy, the bear thought.  Maybe that would--

            No.  Nothing was going to save him from Rebecca when she found out about this…  He sighed, and headed down into the darkness.


	3. Chapter III

Meanwhile, back by the museum, the adults were waiting.  O'Neil, Teal'c and Hammond were in a huddle, trying to figure out some way to get into the building.  The rest of the SG teams and Jaffa had dispersed, surrounding the building.  

            "You have `10 minutes!" A jaffa boomed from the museum window.

            "That does it, sir." O'Neil said.  "We have to go in-- I'll set it for eight minutes from now."

            "Hold on!"  Baloo said, "Maybe they're bluffing!"

            "Jaffa do not bluff." Teal'c said.  "They will kill the hostages, for if we do not give them what they want, they will realize that they are doomed as well."

            "Oh man…."  Baloo moaned. 

            Molly and Kit were in one of the heating ducts.   Molly was scrambling through easily…but Kit on the other hand…

            "Hmph!"  He grunted trying to force his way through.

            "Kit, SHHH!" Molly hissed, "Do you want them to find out?"

            "I'm trying, Molly, but this is a tight fit!"

            "It didn't used to be."

            "I'm bigger now."  Kit said,

            "I know--" Molly glared back, "You said that when you told me I couldn't go to the movie with you… you had a date." She continued, singsonging the last word. Kit sighed.

            "And the date went…poorly."  The fourteen year old said. "Besides, you have friends at school…why don't."  Molly looked back at him.

            "I'm that much of a bother?"  She asked, abruptly loosing her annoyance and sounding much younger, and more afraid.  She spoke again, "Some of the other mom's don't like it when their kids play with me-- they don't like mom because she works and she doesn't have daddy."  Kit winced.  Mommy had become "mom", but Molly would never refer to her father as anything other than "daddy."  Molly kept moving, but softly spoke, almost like she was talking to herself.

            "It's not mom's fault…and everyone acts like it was, somehow."

            "Baloo doesn't."  Kit said, "Neither do Wildcat or Louie, or me…"  Molly sighed.

            "I know…" She said, "But mom… doesn't always. She gets lonely."  The nine-year old looked back with uncommon perception, "_that's_ why she keeps falling for people like Covington!"

            Kit winced again. Covington had been the worst, but not the only one.  Becky just didn't seem to realize how many men she dated had their eyes fixed on Higher For Hire and it's bank accounts. At least none of them had been able to fool Molly, and Becky's feelings for her daughter were plain-- nobody who didn't like Molly need apply to give _Rebecca _a gold ring. 

            "I don't know, Molly." Kit said, truthfully, "Becky has to figure that it for herself…but no, you're not that much of a bother…" He paused, "But…"  Molly didn't say anything.  

            _Oh Lord…I've hurt her-_ she started talking.

            "But you don't want anyone to tell where you were trying to grab during the monster scene?"

            "_Molly!"  _Kit gasped out, barely remembering to keep quiet, "You were there?"

            "Yeah."  Molly shrugged, "I had a ticket, remember?"  Kit groaned.

            "You're…not going to tell, are you?"  He asked.

            "No… why tell Baloo that Mr. I-almost-have-a-pilots-license crashed and burned.  Really burned."  Kit was happy that she didn't have the flashlight on his face.  HE was burning himself right now.

            "Kit?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Karryann was really dumb to drop you."

            "Ah…thanks."  Then, "Shh….I think we're getting close to the museum-- I can hear voices…"

            Meanwhile, out in the city, Becky had noticed something.  Molly and Kit were gone. She'd expected to have to rein her daughter in at least once a minute, but now…nothing it was as if they'd just sat quietly in a corner.  Her mother sense kicked off.  "Quiet" and Molly didn't mix, and neither did quiet and Kit.  

            "Where are the children?"  Rebecca asked.

            "I don't know."  Baloo answered. Suddenly, a Jaffa came running up to Bra'tac.

            "Master Bra'tac-- several Zats and shock grenades are missing from the ship~!"

            "I believe I know where your children have gone…" Bra'tac said, looking at the museum.  O'Neil, consulting with Hammond looked up.

            "What was that, Bra'tac?"

            "Molly Cunningham and Kit Cloudkicker have vanished."  Bra'tac said, "So have weapons from the lander.  I believe they may be attempting to enter the museum."

            "I should have tied them both up." O'Neil groaned. 

            "Pigtails and Kit?" Baloo said in horror, "in _there?_"

            "OK."  "O'Neil said.  "We don't know where they are, but they haven't walked across the lawn.  Carter!"

            "Sir?"  

            "Take some of the locals and check any of the buildings-- the kid may try to use that…flying Frisbee."   

            "Airboard sir."

            "Whatever, to glide across."

            "I do not believe so."  Teal'c said.  "Both of the youths are very intelligent…and…cunning."

            "I agree," Bra'tac said.  

            "Maybe Kit took Molly home…" Becky said, "Yes, that's it, she got over excited and he took her home…"

            "With a bunch of zat's to play with?"  O'Neil said, sarcastically. 

            "Well it could be true!"  Becky said.   Behind her, Hammond, Khan, and Katy were having a.... discussion.

            "No!" The vixen shouted, "You can't destroy the museum, even if you get the people out, there are artifacts in there that.."

            "Will be destroyed should the Ga'ould secure the gate, Ms. Dodd."  Hammond said, handling talking with a walking, talking, fox in a pirate coat much better than he would have wagered that morning. 

            "Be at ease, Doctor."  Khan said, "The damage to the museum will be repaired, and as for the artifacts, while they cannot be replaced, I think that you will find funding much easier to come by after this…" Katy growled, but nodded. 

            Several Jaffa marched through the hallway. In the wall, a pair of eyes glinted. 

            "Kit…" Molly whispered, "This is it."

            "Good." Kit said, trying to avoid coughing from all the dust that had been kicked up.   "Do you see where Dr. Jackson and Myra are being held?"

            "Not in this one…maybe the next one down."  Molly said, "I didn't come _in _this way the first time, remember?"

            "Well hurry!" Kit said, urgently, he had a feeling they were going to run out of time quickly.

            "Wait…here it is." Molly said, wiggling along, it behind her.  She looked out the grille and gasped.

            Dr. Jackson was there, but he was bleeding heavily from a cut on his lip, and Myra was next to him, one eye black.  The other prisoners were still sitting, but the two doctors were being held by a pair of Jaffa.  Another one stood in front of them, with a knife in his hand.

            "The forces outside are not taking us seriously."

            "Yeah, well, Jack  has a problem taking life seriously." Daniel said, then doubled over as the Jaffa kicked him.

            "Well, Apothis wants you intact…but this one."  He said, looking at Myra and running the blade along her chin.  The vixen glared at him, but couldn't repress a shudder, "This one will do nicely.  I will cut a finger off and send it out, as a token of how serious I am…"  

            Molly gasped, and before she had a chance to think about it, pulled out the zat, opened it like she'd seen Bra'Tac do it, and fired at the man, though the grate.

            "Molly!"  Kit squalled. Molly hit the Jaffa, who dropped. Daniel didn't waste time being surprised. Demonstrating that the had learned from Teal'c and O'Neal  he flipped the Jaffa holding him into the other one holding Myra sending all three into an untidy heap, before diving for the staff weapon they'd left lying by the door.  Molly pushed the grill out and started firing wildly, hitting one of the other two Jaffa, even as Jackson knocked the other one out.  

            "Molly, WHAT are you doing here?"  He said, 

            "Kit and I are saving you!" Molly commented, grinning, as she started tossing Zat's and flashbombs out the grill. Jackson paled and caught the flashbombs, while Myra started to tie up the Jaffa.  Jackson quickly started untying the other prisoners, and handing them zats.

            "Well, that's nice-- where are the others?"

            "They couldn't fit into the ducts," Kit said, "And there's no way to get in here without getting shot unless you use the ducts."

            "Ah, ha…and you got permission to do this?"

            "Not exactly…" Molly said, "but we didn't tell Mom, General Hammond, or Master Bra'tac about it. So they couldn't say no."

            "You got them all?  Good girl!" Jackson said, "We can hold the Jaffa off, but there's something you need to do."

            "What!" Kit said. 

            "Get your butts out of this place, back through the ducts, and out of danger."  
            "But-" Molly started, 

            "_Now,_ Molly."  Daniel said, brooking no argument.  "You've done a lot-- but this isn't a place for either a nine year old or fourteen year old." Molly sighed, but turned to go, as Kit finished handing him the rest of the weapons.

            "Keep a pair of zats for yourself, Kit." Myra said, "Just in case."

            "OK, Dr. Foxworthy."  Kit said as he quickly wriggled back, pulling Molly with him.

            Suddently, the door opened, and a pair of Jaffa stood in it. Jackson stunned one, and quickly rolled a flashbomb into the corridor, diving behind the wall as it detonated.

            "Everyone!" He shouted, "I need you to push those tables up against the door-- we need a barricade."  A single bash opened the small window in the door, and Jackson fired through it, sending a Jaffa diving for cover.  

            "I hope Jack heard that…" He muttered.

            Jack had.

            "What was that?" Baloo asked.

            "Flashbomb." O'Neil replied.  "OK-- Molly didn't go home to play with dolls."  He turned to Bra'tac and the other SG team commander.  "We have to go now, but we need cover-- smoke grenades on the lawn."

            "Yes sir!"  With that, grenades arched over and hit the lawn in front of the museum, filling the air with a thick, chemical smoke.

            "My baby…" Rebecca said, in a whisper, "Molly…"

            "She'll be ok, Beckers…" Baloo said, as he moved out to follow O'Neil.

            "Where are you going?" O'Neil asked.

            "To find Molly and Kit!"  Baloo answered. O'Neil looked at Baloo, and decided to not bother arguing him out of it.  He tossed a zat to the bear.  

            "There's the trigger-- shoot someone once you stun them, twice and they die.  Try not to shoot yourself by accident."

            "Thanks!" Baloo said, even though he looked at the zat dubiously.  

            "Don't thank me-" The sound of a fullisade of staff weapons came from inside the museum.

            "Let's go!"  O'Neil finished, and the SG teams and Jaffa took off, heading for the various doors and windows.

            The staff weapons had not been aimed at Jackson.  Evidently, the Jaffa had figured out how Molly had gotten to the doctor.  As the two kids were crawling along, an explosion of vaporized and molten metal nearly caught Molly in the face as a staff weapons blast punched into the vent.  With a scream of fear and surprise, she tumbled through the gap, and hit the ground.  Molly looked up, just in time to see a Jaffa point his staff at her, but a zap from Kit crumpled him to the ground.    Kit hit the ground beside her.

            "Molly, RUN!" He shouted, pulling her with him as he fired the gun as fast as it would trigger. Molly shook off her fear and did the same. They didn't hit anyone, he didn't think, but they kept their heads down until they got into the corridor.  Then, Kit saw more Jaffa…and they turned and ran.

            Into the center of the museum, towards the gate room, and away from help.

            O'Neil tossed a grenade into the open window, counted to three, then dove in just after the blast shattered the glass of every window in the corridor.   The single Jaffa in the room was laying down, stunned.   

            "This way, everyone!" He shouted, as they moved into the museum. Quickly, O'Neil came on a corridor with several Jaffa, firing their staff weapons at a closed, but rapidly fragmenting door.

            A short firefight later, O'Neil called, out.  

            "Daniel?"

            "Jack?" The door opened partially, revealing Daniel and Myra. 

            "Thank god, Baloo!" Myra actually threw herself into Baloo's arms, a good indication of how hard the day had been on her. Baloo looked at her blacked eye and grinned.   

            "I'd hate to see the other guy!"

            "Thanks…" Myra said, smiling. Then Baloo got serious.

            "Where are Kit and Molly?"

            "They didn't go back?"  Daniel said. "They gave us the weapons through the vent-- I told them to use the vents and get out of here."

            "No…but maybe they're on their way.":  The sound of a staff weapon echoed through the chamber.  O'Neil spun around, but the only ones in the corridor were his men, Carter, and Teal'c.  The Jaffa listened, then turned.  

            "That came from deeper in the building-- where none of our soldiers are."

            "Molly.  Kit."  O'Neil said, then. "_Damn."_

            In the Hall of Mirrors Through History, Kit and Molly were backing up, shooting at the Jaffa. A staff blast hit the mirror behind them, shattering it into burning fragments. 

            "You cannot escape!"  One boomed, as several fired their weapons, entering the hall under cover of their fellows.

            "Kit…" Molly said, 

            "I don't know, Molly." Kit said, as he looked back at the wall that had no door in it. "There isn't any other way out…"

            "There is no way out for you!"  A Jaffa shouted.

 Molly glared and suddenly looked up and grinned. Aiming her zat carefully, she discharged it…into the silver mirror mounted on the far wall, where it ricocheted down and struck the Jaffa on the head.  Molly laughed, and then ducked as the Jaffa destroyed the  mirror with their staff weapons, raining shards of hot glass and silver onto the carpet.  The heat triggered the sprinklers, adding to the chaos. 

            "Molly!" Kit shouted, "I'll distract them, and you run!" He charged across the room, firing the zat barely avoiding being hit by the far more dangerous staff weapons-- at least the fires they were kindling as they blew holes in the far wall were put out by the sprinklers. 

            "Kit, I can't-"  Molly broke off as a round object rolled into the room, then screamed as the flashgrenade went off.   She and Kit were flung into the far wall, where they sagged, stunned. Molly looked up just in time to see a very, very angry Jaffa stand in front of her, his staff leveled.

            "Your distraction has let the soldiers into this building. We have failed Apthothis." Molly grinned at that, but then…

            The Jaffa pointed the staff directly at Molly's face.  

            "You will not live to see us defeated."  Molly looked to both sides…there was no place to hide, no place to run. She tried to shove herself back through the wall, but it didn't give…and then the staff weapon was sparking, preparing to fire. She gave a terrified squeak, and closed her eyes….

            And Baloo hit the Jaffa, low and dirty, from the side, While O'Neil charged in, zatting every Jaffa in sight.  The one Baloo had hit impacted the wall, stuck between the immovable object and the very irresistible result of Louie's cooking.   Groaning, _he_ sagged to the ground.

            O'Neil checked for any other Jaffa as other SG soldiers came in, some a little the worse for wear-- evidently other Jaffa hadn't gone down so easily.

            "Baloo…." O'Neil said, "Remember, I gave you a _gun_, for shooting people at a _distance_?"

            "I was afraid I'd miss…" Baloo said, and then gave his belly a pat. "I just pretended he was between me an a plate of Louie's 2 pound hamburgers."

            "OK…great…"  O'Neil said, as they moved over to Kit and Molly.  Carter was kneeling by Molly, flicking a penlight in her eye.

            "I'm ok…" Molly said, shaking her head.

            "Maybe, but I think we'd better make certain you don't have a concussion."  Carter responded.  Teal'c was helping Kit up.  Baloo had somehow teleported the distance between him, Molly and Kit, and had Kit by the other harm, giving him a hand. 

            "The young warrior is unhurt."  He said.  Kit grinned.

            "Not for long."  O'Neil said.  "So, which one of you had this brilliant idea?"  Kit and Molly looked at each other, as the rain finally stopped-- Myra had arrived to turn off the sprinklers.  

            "It was my idea, all the way."  Kit said. 

            "Uh-huh…you forced her to show you where the zats were."  O'Neil said, "Right  Molly?"

            "No! I mean, it was sort of both of our ideas…"

            "Molly!"  Kit hissed, "I'm trying to keep you out of trouble!"  Baloo looked at him sorrowfully. 

            "It's too late for that, Kit."  The bear said,

            "Much too late." Teal'c added.  "You disobeyed your mother, General Hammond and Master Bra'tac, to name a few individuals. 

            "And stole weapons that weren't yours." Carter said, 

            "Well,  she gave most of them to me, so that could be… put in the 'borrow' category."  Daniel added.  

            "Daniel!"

            "Jack?"

            "Don't encourage the mutineers."  Jack paused, "And… Good to see you made it-- and let me guess," He continued, looking at the cut on Daniel's lip. "You forgot to duck again."

            "No…I ducked, but he punched low, so I ducked into it."

            "Good enough."  He turned back to the kids. "In any case, you don't have to worry about keeping anyone out of trouble-- there's more than enough trouble for both of you, and we'd better go meet it…"  Jack O'Neil was not about to let anyone else into the museum until they checked it for boobytraps. No indeed. Quite enough had gone wrong for ONE lifetime already.  They left, with Molly and Kit both looking like they were reconsidering their course of action…

            Out on the lawn, the last of the smoke had dissipated, showing the holes blown in the lawn, cars, buildings, the street… some of the Jaffa were being removed from the building, while others were being carried.  O'Neil listened over his earpiece, and sighed, when it came back that all SG team members and Bra'Tac's Jaffa were accounted for and none had been seriously injured.  He looked over at Molly and Kit, and started to speak-

            "MOLLY ELIZABETH CUNNINGHAM!"  O'Neil winced. That was loud, as a short bundle of Ursine fury marched across the lawn. Now Molly did look panicked.  Her panic grew as she saw marching beside her, General Hammond, and Master Bra'tac.  Neither one looked particularly happy. On the other side came Shere Khan.   He looked…mildly amused.

            "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"  Becky  shouted at her daughter.  Kit opened his mouth-

            "Not now, Kit, I'll talk to _you_ later."  Rebecca said, still pale with anger and fear.  Kit closed his mouth.  

            "I-" Molly opened her mouth.

            "Disobeyed my direct order." Hammond said, "And don't try to say I didn't tell you not to do _this_.  You're intelligent enough to know what I meant."

            "And had you been a Jaffa under _my_ command, I would have you beaten for this." Bra'tac said calmly.  Molly gulped, and suddenly worked very hard to keep the quaver that wanted to enter her voice out of it. 

            "But…we _won…"_  She whispered. 

            "There is that, Sir, Ma'am," Daniel said.  He and Myra had joined the group.  "The Jaffa were just about to start cutting body parts off of people-- and they had been given orders to kill _all_ of us, if you attacked the building. If it hadn't been for Molly and  Kit, we would be dead."

            "And what do you have to say, Kit?"  Becky glared at Kit.  Kit gulped. He hadn't seen her _this_ angry since the sea monster affair.

            "I… agree with Molly."  Kit said, and then started getting stronger.  "You all said there was no way into the museum without getting either the hostages killed or a bunch of other people, and you also said that this…Apothis would destroy the world if he came here." Kit paused, "So Molly and I weren't in any more danger then we would have been in if we hadn't of done anything, because there was no way you could have done this!" Kit stopped breathing heavily.  He'd forgotten how much he hated being treated like this.  He looked up at Rebecca's face and suppressed a twinge of fear.  He'd also forgotten how happy he was to have a family…and this might just have broken that bond.

            "Well…"  Becky said. 

            "Beckers.." Baloo said, to be cut off by a short gesture.  

            "You may be right Kit." Becky said softly.  "But do you know what it would do to me to lose you, to lose Molly?" Now there was an unexpected glimmering in her eyes, and Kit realized that there were some punishments far worse than getting yelled at.

            "Mom…" Molly said, quavering.  "I'm..sorry…"

            "Molly!" Rebecca snapped, then, "Kit..Molly…come here."  She gave them both a bonecrushing hug, leaning down to her daughter.

            "I suppose it's my fault… I taught you to do the right thing…even if other people didn't think it was…"  She let them go, "But if you EVER scare me like this again…"  The consequences were obviously too dire for her to continue.

            "But that does leave me, Young Lady." General Hammond said.

            Molly gulped again. Hammond probably didn't have the bonds of motherly affection that had just saved her. 

            "You technically, weren't under my command."  He said, "correct Jack?"

            "Yes sir."

            "But that doesn't excuse you for lying."

            "Not at all sir…may I suggest keelhauling?"  Molly gulped, _that_ didn't sound pleasant. 

            "Or maybe… cleaning the museum…by hand?"  Daniel added from where he stood.

            "But, in this case…just this once, mind you, I'm inclined to be forgiving."  Hammond said.  "Especially since you _were_ the first one from this world who went through the gate…which might be important in the future."

            "Future?"  Molly said, stupidly.

            "Important?"  Kit added.

            "Well, I assume that at some point _you_ will need your own Stargate Teams…and there's nothing like experience."

            "Oh…wow…."

            "After you get older…"  Rebecca said, "And finish school…"

            "_mom…"_

"Ah Beckers, you and school?"  Baloo said, "Let Molly have some fun…"

            "Well, you need to know what you're doing." Daniel said, "don't want to drop dead eating the wrong plant…"  Jack cut him off.

            "But Molly."

            "Yes sir?" Molly asked the Colonel.

            "Don't get too educated-- you can always have a science nerd like Daniel along to compensate for your overwhelming coolness factor."

            "Hey!" Daniel said in protest. Carter grinned, and Teal'c looked satisfied.  Hammond nodded to them all.

            "If you don't mind, I'll have to speak to Shere Khan about handling the gate--"

            "Count your fingers after you shake hands with Khannie."  Baloo said.  Hammond looked over at the Tiger and nodded. 

            "I'll do that, Mister…ah.. Baloo."

            "I wonder when we'll be able to use the stargate." Kit said.

            "After you're 18, at the least." Becky said, with a no nonsense tone to her voice.  "Let other people have fun, for now."  She said, smiling.

            "Hey Beckers… I didn't get any lunch…do you suppose…"

            "Oh, Alright."  Becky said, "We have to take Louie back…so ok…"

            Epilogue:

            Things did get back to normal…well for the most part.

            "What's the problem, Sam."  O'Neil said, looking into the laboratory, where Dr. Carter was looking… well, he'd never seen that look on her face. The Naqqada reactor was humming along, happily..in fact.

            "Hey, You finally got that working!"  O'Neil said.  

            "Well, no sir, not exactly…"

            "??"  Carter sighed at his expression. 

            "Remember Cape Suzzette?"

            "How could I forget?"  Carter sighed.

            "Well, we did get some Naqqada ore from them--it's tremendously wealthy in it-- but I had problems with this reactor."

            "And…"

            "A friend of Baloo's fixed it." She paused, "Wildcat."

            "And the problem is?"  Carter leaned back so O'Neil could see the reactor…and the three rubber bands placed apparently at random on the circuit board.

            "What is that?"  He asked.

            "It's what he used to fix it."

            "And you have no idea of how it works."

            "Not a clue."

            "And…"

            "Either he's crazy, or a genius…and I'm going to go crazy if I can't figure it out."  Jack looked down and suddenly realized that the placement of the rubber bands made a horrible kind of sense. 

            "Well, I'd better let you concentrate on the…rubber band placement." He said, before fleeing-- right into the corridor where General Hammond was.

            "Oh Jack!"  Hammond called.

            "Sir?"

            "We have the new head of Cape Suzzettes Star Gate Program in conference room two."

            "That's…nice, sir."

            "And he'll be coordinating with you."

            "That's…horrible, sir."

            "Don't worry Jack, he's big enough to take anything you can dish out."  Jack gave up, saluted, and left.  On the way, he ran into Teal'c.

            "Hello O'Neil."

            "Hi Teal'c-- have you seen the big mucky muck from the Cape?"

            "Indeed, I was in the Stargate chamber when he arrived."

            "Oh good… he wasn't Baloo, was he?"

            "No, but I have heard that all… are intimidated by his size."  Jack winced.  What was it, a Mammoth?

            "Ok, fine…" He said, so Teal'c was going to be difficult…

            Jack entered conference room two. There was nobody in it, although someone had tossed a gaudy officers cap at the other end of the conference.

            "Hello?"

            "Down here!" An irritated, whiny voice shouted.  Jack blinked, and looked down, then down again.  The cap started to move around the table, and he realized that it was still being worn.  It was connected to a short, ridiculous looking warthog in an incredibly gaudy uniform.  

            "I am the Tyrant of Tinabula, the Destroyer of Darkburg…"

            _If I shoot him with a zat, I can be through the stargate before anyone notices. Go to a nice place and fish.  Yes, fish.  That's a good idea…._  However Jack remained rooted to the ground.

            "The Terror of Turkistan…Colonel Spigot!"  He waited, then, "Perhaps you've heard of me?"

            There was only one thing to say.

            "No…but I bet I _am_ going to here from you…"  Jack sighed. 

            End.


End file.
